Skate Canada Refused to Announce Kerry Leitch's Removal from HoF, Declines to Remove Eisler

[overedge]

Skate Canada criticized for refusing to publicize coach’s ouster from Hall of Fame - TSN.ca

After Skate Canada removed coach Kerry Leitch from its Hall of Fame in July 2021 following a complaint about his conduct, the organization refused a request to advise the public about the decision. Instead, Skate Canada simply deleted a page on its website celebrating Leitch’s career.

www.tsn.ca

 

[MacMadame]

OMG his bio says he has the Golden touch? That seems to be a bit much.

 

[Trillian]

“It is not currently Skate Canada’s practice to issue a press release when there is a change in status for an individual in the Hall of Fame.”

Considering that they apparently don’t bother removing alleged abusers from the HOF at all most of the time, it might be a little disingenuous to pretend they have an established “practice.”

 

[overedge]

“It is not currently Skate Canada’s practice to issue a press release when there is a change in status for an individual in the Hall of Fame.”

Considering that they apparently don’t bother removing alleged abusers from the HOF at all most of the time, it might be a little disingenuous to pretend they have an established “practice.”

Their practice is to pretend it's not happening....

 

[Trillian]

Their practice is to pretend it's not happening....

I was thinking about this the other day (in the context of U.S. skating, but same deal) and realized probably the best case scenario we’re going to get is these organizations don’t ignore abusive coaches going forward. Like, any high level coaching career for Ross Miner is probably DOA, so that’s something. But any misconduct by the gross old people they already revere is going to get swept under the rug until the end of time, because nobody’s ever going to want to have a conversation about what they did to enable an abuser to flourish in the first place.

 

[overedge]

I was thinking about this the other day (in the context of U.S. skating, but same deal) and realized probably the best case scenario we’re going to get is these organizations don’t ignore abusive coaches going forward. Like, any high level coaching career for Ross Miner is probably DOA, so that’s something. But any misconduct by the gross old people they already revere is going to get swept under the rug until the end of time, because nobody’s ever going to want to have a conversation about what they did to enable an abuser to flourish in the first place.

Which IMO makes it even more difficult to do anything meaningful about younger coaches who are abusive. They can point to older coaches and say, yes, what I did was bad, but this older person did the same thing and you didn't punish them.

 

[Carolla5501]

Which IMO makes it even more difficult to do anything meaningful about younger coaches who are abusive. They can point to older coaches and say, yes, what I did was bad, but this older person did the same thing and you didn't punish them.

In Which case somebody needs to tell them that the fourth grade defense of somebody else did it first so it’s OK is not acceptable for an adult.

 

[arakwafan2006]

Cancel culture seems to be rampant,” Leitch said. “I was surprised when Skate Canada contacted me. I was given an opportunity to argue why I should not be removed from the Hall of Fame. But the confusing thing is that they knew all about this incident when I was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014."

that's the comment that got me. On one hand, i'm surprised that HE is surprised. On the other hand, he has a point about them inducting him, knowing full well that he slapped the student... wow

 

[Vagabond]

Skate Canada needs to create a Hall of Infamy. U.S. Figure Skating does too.

 

[MacMadame]

that's the comment that got me. On one hand, i'm surprised that HE is surprised. On the other hand, he has a point about them inducting him, knowing full well that he slapped the student... wow

If he had expressed any remorse over the incident, I would have sympathy. Instead, he invokes "cancel culture."

 

[Deleted member 221]

If he had expressed any remorse over the incident, I would have sympathy. Instead, he invokes "cancel culture."

Were there charges against him beyond slapping one student in the face? Leitch was honest in admitting the incident, and he's not wrong that this behavior was typical within a certain era. He lost me, though, when he said "he (Leitch) deserved what he got" when he was hit by his own coaches. No, the behavior wasn't OK then, wasn't OK when Leitch did it, and isn't OK now. He doesn't seem to have learned any lesson. I'm also wondering if this was the one well documented incident among several.

I find the charges against Eisler and Richard far more problematic, and I do think it's weird to ban Leitch for slapping a student (which many or even most parents of the time did) but not to ban people who make sexual advances to minors.

 

[overedge]

Richard Gauthier on SC hall of fame website:

Richard Gauthier

skatecanada.ca

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Skate Canada needs to create a Hall of Infamy. U.S. Figure Skating does too.

For some bizarre reason I am reminded of a very old Simpsons episode when Bart accidentally destroys Earth, American heroes including Michelle Kwan were sent by rocket ship to Mars. American villains (including Tonya Harding) were sent to the sun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbQsxZvHeI0

 

[Bouffantrex]

Instead, he invokes "cancel culture."

I am satisfied Kerry Leitch has been ousted from the Hall of Fame--he is a problematic relic--but I'd argue "cancel culture" is indeed a real issue in today's world.

 

[overedge]

The people yelling "cancel culture " are mostly the people who think that "free speech" means being able to say whatever you want without bring criticized for it.

 

[Mont]

Were there charges against him beyond slapping one student in the face? Leitch was honest in admitting the incident, and he's not wrong that this behavior was typical within a certain era. He lost me, though, when he said "he (Leitch) deserved what he got" when he was hit by his own coaches. No, the behavior wasn't OK then, wasn't OK when Leitch did it, and isn't OK now. He doesn't seem to have learned any lesson. I'm also wondering if this was the one well documented incident among several.

I find the charges against Eisler and Richard far more problematic, and I do think it's weird to ban Leitch for slapping a student (which many or even most parents of the time did) but not to ban people who make sexual advances to minors.

Any investigation into his conduct would find many similar incidents. There's a reason he wasn't inducted until one of his former skaters left Skate Canada.

 

[greenapple]

An update on the status of the Richard Gauthier trial. The Judge will render her decision on January 25.